EPA to pay New Mexico, Navajo Nation $63 million for Gold King Mine spill

Jun. 16—Nearly seven years ago, federal contractors breached a tunnel at the abandoned Gold King Mine near Silverton, Colorado, sending 3 million gallons of acid mine drainage into the Animas and San Juan rivers.

Now the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will pay New Mexico and the Navajo Nation a combined $63 million for the 2015 Gold King Mine disaster, according to settlement agreements announced Thursday.

During a news conference in Farmington, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham recalled the spill's "disturbing yellow flow through our beautiful communities and rivers."

"We can't have these environmental accidents in our waterways," Lujan Grisham said. "Every drop is precious."

The EPA will pay $32 million to New Mexico and $31 million to the Navajo Nation.

The plume — laden with 540 tons of heavy metals like arsenic, lead and copper — flowed through Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and the Navajo Nation.

Cities, towns and farmers along the river scrambled to find alternative water in the days following the disaster.

Federal and state agencies found that post-spill water quality met safety standards. But the incident still impacted local agriculture and outdoor recreation.

The EPA settlement will fund aquatic habitat, cropland rehabilitation, long-term water quality monitoring and address economic impacts for regional outdoor recreation.

Last year, New Mexico and the Navajo Nation received $21 million from a settlement with the Sunnyside Gold Corp. mining company.